Bath apparatus



(No Model.) I

' W. F. LAMBERT.

BATH APPARATUS.

1 No. 347,430. Patented Aug. 17, 1886.

IIII l i f. vll/111111111111111 l UNITED STATESv PATENT ENCE.

WILLIAM F. LAMBERT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

BATH APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 347,430, dated August 1'7, 1886.

Application filed April 20, 1886.

To all whom it may concern..- 4

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. LAMBERT, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Bath Apparatus; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an invention which may be used as a vapor or showerfbath or washing apparatus; audit consists of a cylinder having a piston moving therein, a surrounding basin or tub to receive the water, and pipes connecting with the cylinder and carrying spray or other suitable nozzles with proper relation to the operator. Y

It consists, also, of a platform mounted upon the piston-rod, a` piston moving within the cylinder, a brake by which the piston may be held, and means for raising the piston, means for releasing the brake so as to allow the piston to descend at will, avapor-generator, and pipes connected with or surrounding the platform, and certain details of construction, all of which will be more 'fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Whch- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a View of the brake and oper ating-rod.

A is a cylinder placed vertically, and B is a broad pan or tub surrounding the cylinder and fixed thereto by means of a flange or other suitable device, so as to form a receptacle for any water which may be discharged or accumulate within its circumference. The whole may be supported by legs having casters, so as to be easily movable from place te place.

Within the cylinder A a piston,G, is fitted to move vertically, and has a rod, D, .extending upward,with a platform, E, supported uponV its upper end. The lower end of the rod D has a head or enlargement, which fits in a corresponding chamber in the piston C, so that the two move together; but the piston-rod is allowed to turn without turning the piston. The exterior of this rod is screw-threaded, having a screw of sharp pitch, and it passes between the sides or jaws of adouble clamp or brakelever, F. These two jaws are hinged together at one'end or otherwise fulcrumed or pivoted, and are tted to clasp the pistonrod, having projections or lugs which engage the screw-thread upon the rod beforedescribed.' The two levers are extended to some distance Serial No. 199,564. (No model.)

ou the side opposite the fulcrum, and are held in contact with the piston-rod by means of Vsprings G, which press against them and force them into contact with the piston-rod, the lugs entering the screw-threaded grooves, and thus holding the rod and piston at any point which may be desired. Theends of the levers opposite the fulcrum have a slotted opening or space, H, between them, into which an oblong or iiattened head, I, its. This head has a rod with a handle, as shown at J, and when the handle is turned so as to place the elongated head transversely in the slot the jaws which clasp the piston-rod will be separated sufficiently to allow the piston and rod to descend Without hinderance.

Wheuit is desired to raise the piston, the jaws clasping it as before, it is only necessary to turn the table and the piston -rod D around, when the screwthread will move upon the lugs of the jaws, and as the rod D turns independently of the piston it will draw the latter up to the top of the cylinder. This being done, the cylinder is lled with water or whatever may be desired by means of a pipe, K, and a funnel, L, connecting with it. This pipe K is one of several which connect with the bottom of the cylinder A,and,extend ing out to the rim of the containing-tub, are carried upward from thence, having spray or other nozzles attached to them at any suitable or desirable point, and being provided with stop-cocks, by which the water of any one or more may be allowed to flow or be arrested.

`One of these pipes may be carried upward and curved so as to carry a shower-nozzle, and,be ing connected by a hose with itslower portion, may be raised or lowered, so as to p lace the shower at any desired height above the person placed upon the platform E. The standard M is fixed at one side of the apparatus, and this movable pipe K, carrying the shower, is raised and lowered, being guided by this standard, and is heldin place at 'any desired point by means of a holding screw or clamp. Around the platform Eis fixed a curved pipe, N, having jets or openings, through which vapor may be discharged inwardly toward or upon the occupant ofthe platform.V

The vapor-generating apparatus P may beV ofany suitable construction, and may be heated by gas, coal-oil, or other fuel, and when in use may be suitably suspended from or may be placed on a table near the apparatus, as shown IOO in Fig 1, so as to be tended by the person using it.

The generator is connected by a flexible hose or pipe with the circular perforated pipe N, surrounding the platform E, so that the vapor maybe discharged through its openings or perforations.

The apparatus is used as follows: The pis ton is raised by turning the platform. The screw-th reads ofthe piston-rod, being engaged by the lugs on the clamp or brake, will raise the piston and the platform to the highest point. The cylinder is then lled through the funnel L and pipe K, after which the cock in the pipe connecting the funnel with the pipe K may be closed. The operator then places himself upon the platform E. The person is covered or surrounded by a vapor-tight cloak or blanket fitting closely around the neck, and also around the piston-rod beneath the platform, and vapor or steam generated in the generating apparatus passing through the connecting pipe or hose into the circular perforated pipe N around the platform will enu velop the body, making a very perfect and cheap vapor-bath. Sufficient steam having been admitted within thisinclosure, the lamp or gas may be shut off, or the stop-cock between the platform and the boiler may be closed, a suitable safety-valve or escape being attached to the boiler to allow the escape of surplus steam. After the vaporbath the cloak may be thrown off, and by turning the rod J the head I will separate the clamps or levers which hold the piston-rod, and the weight of the person upon the platform will then cause the piston to descend, forcing the water within the cylinder A out through the pipes K to the discharge nozzles or sprays. any one or more of which may be used by opening the cocks controlling them until as much water has been discharged upon the person as may be desired. This water all falls within the flaring or inclined bottoni of the tub B, which surrounds the cylinder, and flows to the center, from which point it may be discharged in any suitable or convenient manner.

A reservoir, R, may be attached to one of the vertical pipes K or standard M, with a faucet and abasin for washing; or the basin may be filled from either of the pipes K, with which it may be connected by means of a pipe, a faucet, or a stop-cock, the same standard also holding soap, brushes, the.

This apparatus takes very little space, may be constructed at a very low price, has no valves to get out of order, requires no physical exertion to work it, and is made ready for use in a very short time. It may be used in any space or room, as it needs no connection with fixed water-pipes or steam-pipes, and

` takes but very little space.

to work within it, a piston-rod having a head, by which it is loosely connected with said pis ton, and a platform secured to the upper end of said piston-rod, by which the piston is depressed, in combination with pipes communi eating with the lower portion of the cylinder, and provided at their upper ends with spray or shower nozzles discharging inwardly upon the platform, substantially as herein described.

2. The tub B, having inclined bottom, and a cylinder surrounded by said tub and having a piston working within it, in combination with a piston-rod having a head, by which it is loosely connected with said piston, a platform at the upper end of the piston-rod, upon which the person may sit or stand, and the pipes K, leading from the lower part of the cylinder toa point above said platform, and having spraynozzles and controlling-cocks, substantially as herein described.

3. The cylinder, with the surrounding tub, pipes, faucets, and discharge-nozzles, and piston fitting said cylinder, a pistonrod extending upward from the piston, having a platform secured to the upper end, upon which the person or operator may sit or stand, in coinbination with a brake or clamp pressing upon the sides of the piston-rod, so as to hold it in any desired position, substantially as herein described.

4. A piston-rod having alower end provided with a head, by which it is loosely connected with the piston within the cylinder, and screwth reads formed upon the exterior of the pistonrod, in combination with a double clamp or brake having lugs fitting these threads, so that when the pistonrod is turned between the clamps it will raise the piston within the cylinder, substantially as herein described.

5. rIhe cylinder, with its piston, piston-rod, and platform, in combination with the compressing levers or clamping brakes, and springs by which they are closed upon the piston-rod, and a means for opening these clamps to allow the piston to descend freely, substantially as herein described.

G. The compressing levers or clamps, with their actuating springs, said .levers having a slot or space formed between their outer ends, in combination with a flattened head or plate fitting this slot, and having a rod or shaft by which it may be turned so as to stand transversely, and thus separate the levers or jaws, substantially as herein described.

7. A platform supported upon the pistonrod above the cylinder and a surrounding tub, in combination with the circular perforated pipe surrouuding the platform and a steam-generator and connecting-pipe, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM F. LAMBERT.

Vitliesses:

S. H. Noonsn,

IIO 

